National Organisation of Youth
Encyclopedia
The National Youth Organisation was a fascist
youth organization in the Kingdom of Greece
during the years of the Metaxas Regime (1936–1941). It was established some time in 1937 and was disbanded with the start of the German occupation of Greece. It differed from its Nazi
and Fascist Italian
counterparts in that it never managed to turn its members into blind followers of the regime.
The goal of the organization was: for the "productive spending of the free time of the youth, the promotion of physical and psychological wellbeing thereof, the cultivation of the national values and the faith, the creation of a cooperative and communal spirit...".
labrys
surrounded by laurel wreath
s, topped with a royal crown. It was similar to the emblem of Fascist Italy
at the time, which featured an ancient Roman fasces
surrounded by laurel wreath
s, from which fascism
got its name. The emblem was used on the flag, as well as on the caps of the members of the organization. The flag of the organization, used on parades, was similar to the flag of Greece
. It featured a white cross on a blue fiend, with the emblem of EON charged in the center in gold, and the royal crown moved to the upper hoist side quadrant. The motto of the organization was "One Nation, One King, One Leader, One Youth".
in 1937, the organization numbered a million members in 1939. Some of the most prominent members of the organization were crown prince Paul
, who also served as the titular head of the organization for a short time, as well as other members of the Greek royal family
.
Membership to the Organization was not mandatory, but there was widespread successful campaigning by the Metaxas regime to include the largest part of the youth to EON. In the founding document of the Organization, it is mentioned that "the inclusion of the entire Greek youth to EON is everyone's responsibility". The organization later took over the scouts and other such organizations, although typically membership still remained strictly voluntary. It has been said that "school teachers were ordered to bring the youth to EON en masse, as well as the workers in the public sector, who were forced to enlist their children to the National Youth Organization".
Unlike most contemporary political youth organizations in Europe, EON was not affiliated with a political party, as the Metaxas Regime was not supported by a mass political movement. Metaxas' dictatorial power relied chiefly on the King and the army, and no political parties were active during his leadership.
The official magazine of EON was The Youth , which was published monthly. It was first published in 1938, and by 1939 it had already reached 70,000 copies.
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
youth organization in the Kingdom of Greece
Kingdom of Greece
The Kingdom of Greece was a state established in 1832 in the Convention of London by the Great Powers...
during the years of the Metaxas Regime (1936–1941). It was established some time in 1937 and was disbanded with the start of the German occupation of Greece. It differed from its Nazi
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
and Fascist Italian
Opera Nazionale Balilla
thumb|240px|A young balilla in [[Piazza Venezia]].Opera Nazionale Balilla was an Italian Fascist youth organization functioning, as an addition to school education, between 1926 and 1937 .It was named after Balilla, the moniker of Giovan Battista Perasso,...
counterparts in that it never managed to turn its members into blind followers of the regime.
The goal of the organization was: for the "productive spending of the free time of the youth, the promotion of physical and psychological wellbeing thereof, the cultivation of the national values and the faith, the creation of a cooperative and communal spirit...".
Symbols
The emblem of the organization was a MinoanMinoan civilization
The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that arose on the island of Crete and flourished from approximately the 27th century BC to the 15th century BC. It was rediscovered at the beginning of the 20th century through the work of the British archaeologist Arthur Evans...
labrys
Labrys
Labrys is the term for a symmetrical doubleheaded axe originally from Crete in Greece, one of the oldest symbols of Greek civilization; to the Romans, it was known as a bipennis....
surrounded by laurel wreath
Laurel wreath
A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...
s, topped with a royal crown. It was similar to the emblem of Fascist Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
at the time, which featured an ancient Roman fasces
Fasces
Fasces are a bundle of wooden sticks with an axe blade emerging from the center, which is an image that traditionally symbolizes summary power and jurisdiction, and/or "strength through unity"...
surrounded by laurel wreath
Laurel wreath
A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...
s, from which fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
got its name. The emblem was used on the flag, as well as on the caps of the members of the organization. The flag of the organization, used on parades, was similar to the flag of Greece
Flag of Greece
The flag of Greece , officially recognized by Greece as one of its national symbols, is based on nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white...
. It featured a white cross on a blue fiend, with the emblem of EON charged in the center in gold, and the royal crown moved to the upper hoist side quadrant. The motto of the organization was "One Nation, One King, One Leader, One Youth".
Membership
Within two years from the first march of EON in AthensAthens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
in 1937, the organization numbered a million members in 1939. Some of the most prominent members of the organization were crown prince Paul
Paul of Greece
Paul reigned as King of Greece from 1947 to 1964.-Family and early life:Paul was born in Athens, the third son of King Constantine I of Greece and his wife, Princess Sophia of Prussia. He was trained as a naval officer....
, who also served as the titular head of the organization for a short time, as well as other members of the Greek royal family
Greek Royal Family
The Greek Royal Family was a branch of the House of Glücksburg that reigned in Greece from 1863 to 1924 and again from 1935 to 1973. Its first monarch was George I. He and his successors styled themselves "Kings of the Hellenes"...
.
Unlike most contemporary political youth organizations in Europe, EON was not affiliated with a political party, as the Metaxas Regime was not supported by a mass political movement. Metaxas' dictatorial power relied chiefly on the King and the army, and no political parties were active during his leadership.
Activities
Some of the activities that EON members were involved in included military training, athletics events, imposing parades and marches, reforestation, trips and community service.The official magazine of EON was The Youth , which was published monthly. It was first published in 1938, and by 1939 it had already reached 70,000 copies.